


The Bet

by ghostlyhamburger



Category: Miraculous Ladybug
Genre: F/M, Identity Reveal, silly fluff
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2017-06-03
Updated: 2017-06-03
Packaged: 2018-11-08 13:21:46
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,642
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/11082444
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/ghostlyhamburger/pseuds/ghostlyhamburger
Summary: Chat bets Ladybug a kiss that he can't figure out her identity.





	The Bet

“If I figure out who you are on my own, would that be okay?”

Ladybug looked at her partner, who tried his best to give her his Cute Kitten Eyes™ as she considered her response.

“I guess,” she responded. She glanced away from him, out over the rooftops of Paris. “I don’t think you can, though.”

“Try me,” Chat Noir replied with a grin. “I mean, wouldn’t it be a good idea to know who we are without the masks? So we can talk when we’re not transformed?”

Ladybug pursed her lips. “I mean, it might be a good idea. But we’re really not supposed to tell anyone, even each other.”

“Which is why I’ll figure it out on my own,” Chat said. “Come on. I bet you I can figure it out within a week.”

She laughed, and his heart melted a little at the sound. “A week? Come on, Chat, there’s no way.”

“I totally can do it!” he insisted. “In fact, if I don’t know who you are, I promise I won’t make a single pun for a whole month.”

“I could be tempted by that,” she said. “What do you get if you do win? Not that you will.”

“A kiss?” Chat asked, giving her the pleading eyes again. “Just one. If you don’t like it, I’ll never bring it up again.”

Ladybug hesitated. “I’ll think about it.”

With that, she stood from the rooftop, swung out her yoyo, and zipped away into the night.

*

“Okay,” Ladybug said the next time they met on patrol. “You can try to guess. If you want.”

Chat Noir grinned. “Awesome.”

The pair sat in silence for a brief moment, scanning the streets below them for anything going on.

“So,” Chat said to break the silence, “Can I ask you some questions about yourself?”

“Just a couple,” Ladybug said. “And I’m not promising to answer them, but I will be honest. I don’t like lying.”

“Well, that’s good to know. So…what’s your name?”

Ladybug gave him a Look, and he burst out laughing.

“Sorry, my lady. That wasn’t a serious one,” he said through giggles. “But your face right now—you’re beautiful even when you’re angry.”

“Of course,” she mumbled, rolling her eyes. “Got any real questions?”

Chat paused, considering. Finally he asked, “How old are you, really?”

Ladybug was silent a moment. Chat could see the gears turning in her head, as she decided if this was worth answering. Then, “Sixteen.”

“Same as me,” he remarked. “That’s nice.”

“Any more questions?”

“Where do you live?” Chat asked. “I mean, not your address, but where, generally? Are you even in Paris?”

She laughed, and said with heavy sarcasm, “No, I commute into the city every single time there’s an akuma and for all the patrols. I live in the 21st arrondissement, actually. You’re not getting anything more specific than that.”

Chat nodded. His mind was fitting new puzzle pieces together. He was a bit surprised to learn Ladybug lived so close to him, but that didn’t really help him figure out who she was.

He had so much more to learn.

*

Over the next few weeks, each time Chat went on patrol with Ladybug, he had exactly two questions for her. After all, she’d said “a couple”, and that meant two in Adrien’s mind.

He _really_ didn’t want to push his luck with Ladybug. Two was fine.

That was how he learned that Ladybug was interested in fashion, that she was afraid of spiders, and her favorite color was pink. He learned that she enjoyed drawing, but she didn’t consider herself a great artist. He learned she loved hamsters and her favorite musician was Jagged Stone.

When he found out that last one, they ended up ignoring patrol to sing as many Jagged songs as they could think of. Ladybug was a decent singer, but she could have sounded like a frog and Adrien would’ve still loved every minute of it.

“I met Jagged, you know,” Ladybug bragged breathlessly, as they collapsed on a rooftop after a highly energetic rendition of Rock Giant.

“We both did,” Chat reminded her. “Guitar Villain, remember?”

She waved her hand dismissively. “I mean, not in costume. As myself.”

“Really?” Chat asked, suddenly excited. “That’s so cool! I’ve been to a couple of his concerts, but never really _met_ him.”

Ladybug nodded. “Yeah! I designed his last album cover!”

Adrien’s brain broke. He _knew_ the girl who designed the last album cover. He _knew_ her and he was too blind to ever notice this.

Ladybug must have noticed that he’d gone silent, as she suddenly blushed and looked away. “Sorry. I didn’t mean to brag. I’m just still in shock it even _happened_ and I don’t get to talk about it too much with my friends because they all know about it already.”

Chat nodded. “Y-yeah. It’s okay. That’s—that’s really cool. You’re so lucky.”

Ladybug smiled and Adrien died a little bit. “Thanks,” she said. “Thanks for letting me talk about this.”

*

Adrien absolutely could not concentrate in class. How could he, when he knew Ladybug was sitting right behind him?

He was hyper-aware of every movement he made. He could _feel_ Marinette’s eyes on him, even when she probably wasn’t even looking at him. He realized that he usually spent a lot of time doodling ladybugs on his notes, and when he was trying not to do that, he just ended up tapping his pencil against his desk incessantly.

Nino tapped his shoulder at one point when the teacher wasn’t looking and whispered, “Hey, are you okay?”

Adrien just nodded distantly.

Ladybug was Marinette. He’d been this close to the love of his life the entire time. And…she didn’t really like him.

After all, Ladybug only tolerated Chat Noir’s jokes and flirting, and Marinette couldn’t say two words to him. She still apparently hated him after the whole chewing gum incident when they first met.

Adrien sighed, drawing a Stern Look from Mme Bustier. What could he do?

*

“Dude, what is up with you today?” Nino asked after class. Students around them were putting their books into bags and talking about their lunch plans. Adrien waited for Marinette and Alya to leave the classroom before replying.

“Uh,” he said, realizing he wasn’t sure how to phrase the problem. “Girl problems, I guess.”

Nino just grinned. “Well, my man, then you are lucky you have me for a best friend. So what’s the problem?”

“There’s this girl,” Adrien said slowly.

His friend nodded. “Yeah, I got that part.”

“I kind of just realized that I really like her,” Adrien said. “I mean, I think I’ve known for a while, but I only just realized it was _her_ …” He shook his head and continued, “I’m pretty sure she can’t stand me, though.”

“Dude, that blows,” Nino replied. “Who is she?”

After a quick glance around the classroom to make sure it was now empty, Adrien said, “Marinette.”

He really wasn’t expecting Nino to burst out laughing. “You really think Marinette can’t stand you?”

“Well, she’s been mad at me since the first day of school, hasn’t she?” Adrien asked. “She hasn’t really talked to me since the incident with the gum.”

Nino just continued laughing. “Yeah. Sure. I know you don’t have a lot of friends, man, but you can’t be that clueless, right?”

Adrien just gave his friend a helpless stare as Nino walked out of the classroom, still laughing.

*

At the next patrol, Chat Noir was uncharacteristically silent. He didn’t think it was a big deal, but Ladybug definitely noticed.

“No more questions?” she asked, her voice so sweet and kind it made Chat want to cry a little bit. “Are you feeling okay?”

“I don’t have any more questions for you,” Chat replied. “I already figured out who you are.”

“Oh, really?” Ladybug asked, clearly not believing him. “Then, oh wise cat, who am I?”

“Marinette Dupain-Cheng.”

He knew he was right, but it was made clear when Ladybug paled and backed away from him. “How did you-”

“You designed Jagged Stone’s album cover,” Chat Noir said. “I…I kind of know you outside of the mask, so I figured it out when you said that.”

Ladybug buried her head in her hands. “Ugh, I shouldn’t have said that! I really didn’t think you’d figure it out at all…”

“Don’t worry,” Chat said, cutting her off. “I’m not going to kiss you.”

She pursed her lips slightly, and her brow furrowed. “Um. Why not?”

“I just don’t think I should,” he replied, glancing away from her. He couldn’t meet her eyes.

“Oh,” she said quietly. “I get it.”

“Get what?” he asked.

“Now you know I’m Marinette, you don’t want to kiss me,” she said, managing to sound both sad and bitter.

Chat frowned. “Of course I want to,” he replied. “You’re amazing as Ladybug, and you’re even more amazing now that I know who you really are. I just didn’t think you would want to kiss me. You don’t really like me, outside of the suit.”

Confusion was clear on Ladybug’s face as she asked, “Are you sure? Unless you’re Chloe somehow, I don’t think I really _dislike_ anyone.”

Chat could tell this wasn’t going anywhere, so he just said, “Claws in.”

Ladybug’s eyes widened as she recognized Adrien. “You-you’re—you think I don’t like you?”

Adrien gave a sheepish smile before replying, “I mean, you never really talk to—“

His words were cut off as Ladybug basically tackled him in a hug and pressed her lips to his. Adrien was all too happy to wrap his arms around her and pull her close.

When they parted, Ladybug murmured, “You silly cat.”

“So, I guess you do like me?” Adrien asked with a grin.

“Shut up and kiss me again.”


End file.
